Alexandre ciurcu



(No Model.)

A. GIUROU. APPARATUS AND MEANS FOR PROPELLING BY REACTION.

No. 407,394. Patented July 23, 1889.

VIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA"II/1Ill/Ii gal WITNESSES: INVENT I? ATTORNEYS u. PETERS. mowum n mr. washin mxcgia UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDRE OIURCU, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

APPARATUS AND MEANS FOR PROPELLING BY REACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 407,394, dated July 23, 1889.

Application filed October 29,1888. Serial No. 289,468. (No model.) Patented in France October 12, 1886, No.179,001; in Germany October 19,1886, No. 39,964,- in England June 7, 1887, No. 8,182 in Belgium June 8, 1887,110. 77,754; in Italy June 17, 1887, No. 21,863, and in Austria-Hungary August 21, 1887, No, 41,129.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDRE OIUROU, publicist, of Paris, (Seine,) in the Republic of France, have invented an Improvement in Apparatus and Means for Propelling by Reaction, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in France, dated October 12,1886,No. 179,001; British patent, No. 8,182,.1 une 7,1887; Belgium, No. 77,754, June 8, 1887; Italy, No. 21,863, June 17, 1887; Germany, No. 39,964, October 19, 1886; Austria, No. 41,129, August 21, 1887,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for propelling vehicles, boats, balloons, aerial machines, and like purposes by the reaction of gas under pressure escaping from a contracted orifice. The gas may be advantageously generated by the combustion of a compound consisting of, say, about seventy-eight per cent. of nitrate of ammonia intimately mixed with about twenty-two per cent of petroleum. To this mixture is added about seven per cent. of wood-charcoal previously broken into small. fragments and soaked in a concentrated solution of nitrate of ammonia. A compound of this description contains within itself all the elements necessary for its combustion, and can consequently be burned in a closed air-tight'vessel in order to generate the required volume of gas. This compound is burned in a closed vessel, and when the combustion of the compound has generated enough gas to produce the required pressure the gas is allowed to escape through suitable valves operated by hand or otherwise. The nozzles or outletorifices may be so arranged as to enable the boat or the like to be propelled in any desired direction by opening and closing different valves, and the closed vessel or generator is provided with suitable safety-valves, manometers, pyrometers, and other requisites. Vhen one charge of the compound is consumed, a fresh supply is introduced and two or more vessels may be employed in order to obtain a continuous or interrupted supply of gas.

A method of realizing this invention is hereinafter described in detail with reference to the drawings; but this apparatus can of course be varied in form, proportions, and respective positions of the parts according to circumstances; and in order that my said i11- vention may be fully understood I shall now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the several figures on the annexed sheet of drawings, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying draw-, ings represent, respectively, a longitudinal section and an end elevation of a propeller apparatus constructed according to this invention and applied to a boat.

This apparatus consists of a horizontal steel cylinder A, forming a closed vessel or generator in which the combustion of the compound and its conversion into gas takes place. This cylinder is fastened to the boat or other vehicle in any convenient manner. At one end of the cylinder is a door P, opening inward, so that the pressure from within will tend to press it against its seat, and thus prevent any escape of gas. A lever L fixed to the door oscillates on pivots a; and y, Fig. 2, and is provided with a handle 19. Theother end of the cylinder or generator is closed, and is provided with a pyrometer N and a safety-valve 8. At the top of the generator is an outlet-passage provided. with two valves R and Q, operated by han dles r and q, and a safety-valve S. Attached to the inside of the generator are guides c, on which slides a receptacle 0, ofthin sheetiron, in the form of a large spoon or shovel about half the length of the cylinder. The door P is opened, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and closed air-tight by the lever L. This lever L is tightened by means of a screw V, connected to the side of the generator and provided with handles. The spoon or shovel O is filled with gas-producing materials-s rich as those hereinabove describedand introduced into the generator A on guides c, and is drawn out again to be refilled after the complete combustion of the charge.

Several spoons or shovels are prepared beforehand to prevent interruption of supply of gas. The lighting of the charge can be effected in different ways; but a simple method consists in throwing some pieces of red-hot charcoal-carbon on the compound just before closing the door P. As this combustible is a compound of substances containing in themselves all the necessary elements for combustion in an air-tight vessel, the charge, when once alight, is entirely converted into gas, although all communication with the air out side is prevented. The gas, which is formed in large amount, accumulates in the vacant space in the generator, and if only a relatively small exit be made for the gas the pressure immediately becomes considerable. \Vhen the pressure has reached the point at which the apparatus is to be worked, the sectional area of the outlet-passage is enlarged by opening the valve R by means of the bandle 0', thus enabling the gas to escape with force through an orifice O and producing a reaction tending to impart movement to the apparatus in the opposite direction. Supposing the apparatus be fixed to a vehicle or to a boat, as shown in the drawings, or to the car of a balloon, this thrust will be transmit ted to the system on which the apparatus is fixed; consequently the vehicle, boat, or balloon will be propelled in the direction opposite that in. which the gas is escaping.

According as the internal pressure indicated by a manometer M increases or diminishes the opening of the valve R is increased or diminished, so as to maintain as constant a pressure as possible. The valve Q, placed above the valve R and operated by the handle q, allows the gas to escape through an orifice '1; independently of its exit by the orifice O. This valve Q discharges the gas through two lateral tubes fitted in the orifice 2' in such a way that the escaping jets or streams materially counteract one another; but each of the lateral tubes being provided with an independent valve lateral thrusts or impulses to the right or left are obtained, as desired, by allowing the gas to escape separately through the right tube or through the left, and in this way it is possible to direct or steer the whole system in any desired direction. It is needless to say that the n umber of the tubes and valves is not limited to that shown in the drawings, and can be varied according to requirement. Theregulating-valve R can also be replaced by valves fixed on the orifice O, regulated beforehand for the pressures necessary to produce the desired speed and being opened antomatically by thepressure of the gas. These valves, when employed, are placed in a line with the horizontal axis of the generator, in order that the projection of the gas may act in the same direction and produce a horizontal reaction.

Automatic valves can be fitted on in cases where it is necessary to dispense with constant attention on the part of the operator.

\Vhen it is desired to obtain aperfectly continuous action, two or more generators are provided, which are alternately charged with the combustible compound and which are connected by means of tubes to a small gas-reservoir carrying the valves and tubes for the propelling and guiding jets.

The communicating tubes between the burners and the reservoir are provided with valves which open or close, according as the respective generator is in work or notthatis to say, according as a charge of the combustible compound is being consumed therein or preparation is being made for burning a charge while the other or next generator is in action.

I claim as my invention- 1. A propelling apparatus consisting of the combination of a boat, a balloon-car, or other device to be propelled, with a gas-generating chamber provided with outlets for the direct escape of the gases from the gencrating-chainber, controlling-valves for the outlets, and an opening closed by a door through which the explosive materials are passed into the generator, substantially as described.

2. A propelling apparatus consisting of a boat, balloon-car, or similar device,in combination with a gas-generatorhaving outlets and controlling-valves and an opening closed by a door, a removable receptacle for holding the combustible material, and guides within the generator for the removable receptacle, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A propelling apparatus consisting of the combination of a boat, balloon-car, or other device to be propelled, with a gas-generator consisting of a closed vessel with dischargeoutlets and controlling-valves therefor, and a door in the vessel opening inward and closing against a seat under the gas-pressu re, all substantially as described.

4. A gas-generator consisting of a closed vessel provided with suitable outlets and safety-valves, a door opening inward and closing against a seat under the gas-pressure, a pivoted lever, one end of which is fixed to the door, and a screw attached to the outside of the generator to fasten the other end of the lever when the door is closed,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALEXANDRE CIURCU.

\Vitnesscs:

LEON FRANEKEN, R. J. PRESTON. 

